Materials and tools:
Mounting foam (any)
Glue "Titan"
Wood putty.
Acrylic paints.
Liquid nails "Fix All" (Cristal)
toothpicks
tassel
Acrylic paints
Acrylate varnish for wood
small decorative stones.
Film
Gloves
Stationery (or any convenient) knife.
Plastic covers for notebooks.
I love waterfalls and look at them and try to draw, but here I really wanted a homemade waterfall. But not the one where the water is pouring (this one is annoying for some reason ...), but the most ordinary one.
Creation process home waterfall I tried to capture and describe.
Take mounting foam (I took the most common one in a can for 100 rubles).
Lay on work surface oilcloth or film. Be sure to wear gloves
(rubber or medical), because the foam is very sticky to the hands and difficult to wash. Foam several "slides" on the film, sprinkle the "slides" with a spray bottle for flowers so that the foam "sets" faster. Wait until the top of the "slide" dries up, remove it from the film (the bottom remains not yet dry) and put the slides on top of each other so that as you see your big mountain. Since the bottom has not yet dried out, the slides "sit down" on top of each other and immediately stick together.
Give the foam a day to “grab”.
Cut out the base of the mountain from the resulting mass - cut off the excess from the sides with a knife, cut through caves and recesses.
Treat all surfaces and joints with putty. Let dry for a day.
Paint the slide, walls and "bottom" of the waterfall first with dark brown, then with light brown paint. Give the paint time to dry.
Spread glue "Titan" on the surface of the "mountain", sprinkling the glue with small decorative pebbles. Cover by acrylic varnish. Dry during the day.
Paint the "bottom" of the waterfall and the places where the "water" runs off with blue and white paints.
To simulate flowing water was tested:
1. Liquid nails "Moment" Mounting transparent..
The photo shows "transparency", yeah. as they were opaque white, so they remained even after two days ..
2. Liquid nails "AXTON" transparent. I didn’t like it, first of all, a very pungent, poisonous smell (as if a lot - a lot of vinegar was mixed with something). This is how the “waterfalls” turn out to be unclear and ugly, robbed.
3. Liquid nails “Fix-All soludal, Crystal / You can try others, but the word Crystal must be present.
Take a napkin and make a “stencil” blank of the desired length.
I bought a regular notebook cover for the water imitation substrate. It is transparent with blueness and it turned out to be the most it.
After preparing the stencils, put a cover on them.
Take liquid nails and “draw” strips on the stencil with them, close to each other. With a toothpick, smooth the surface of the strips in a zigzag line
Leave to dry. But it's better to leave it to dry. so that the dried nails take the desired shape. Cut the film along the contour of the waterfall, pierce the film with a toothpick at the beginning of the “waterfall” and attach it to a convenient, convex surface.
After giving time to dry to the “flowing water” and using the same nails, smear the recesses in the “mountain” and attach the workpieces with a toothpick. Adjust the "waterfalls" by adding strips of liquid nails, simulating the effect of flowing water.
Paint the surface of the waterfall with an almost dry white brush with white paint.
Wait for the “waterfalls” to dry completely, check that everything corresponds to what was outlined. Put a few decorative elements on the bottom, in my case these are white round decorative pebbles. In the "liquid glass", poured into any container that is not a pity to throw away, add any blue dye (in this case, I took a dye for soap) - 3-4 drops
Allow time to dry completely liquid glass"., depending on the thickness of the layer, this will be from two to four days.
Add a couple of strips of "liquid nails" at the base of the "waterfalls", mix the applied strips with dried "water". With a toothpick or bamboo stick, lift the sealant at the base of the "waterfall" in small sharp "waves"
Allow time to dry and paint the tips of the "waves" at the base of the waterfall with white paint.
Everything, the waterfall is ready ...
Of course, everyone who often spends time in the garden wants to decorate and diversify the space around them. The easiest way to purchase professionally made animal figures in the store. However, you have to pay for them, and it is difficult to overcome the desire to compose something unusual with your own hands. Very interesting option- make your own craft polyurethane foam for garden.
Foam crafts: what is good and what is bad?
Foam is a special material. From it you can make figurines of any size. The work does not require significant physical exertion and is subject to female hands. When working with the material, it is easy to remove excess or add missing details, correct errors. A well-made craft looks professional and does not show signs of reuse, such as crafts made from tires or plastic bottles. The foam craft is not afraid of rain and snow, but it will have to be protected from exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation.
It is convenient to make a variety of figures from foamThere is another side of the coin. First of all, it should be understood that three-dimensional figures are made from foam, which are not easy to copy without having a sense of proportion. It is even more difficult to create something new, having only a flat picture in front of you.
If you have not yet appreciated the abilities of a sculptor and do not have experience working with construction foam, it is better to start with a simpler craft and create a bun, mushroom or ladybug.
Material freezes in air long time, so be patient while waiting for the next layer to be ready. It will take a week to build a large craft. The foam gets very dirty, and it is better to work with gloves, in a special place and on outdoors.
The most interesting and characteristic foam figures
Of course, first of all, you need to "get acquainted with the assortment." By carefully studying the samples of existing creations, we can conditionally divide all crafts into two groups. Some have a smooth surface, others have an almost unfinished surface.
The surface of these figurines is carefully processed Using the alignment of the dried foam, you can make a figure of any animal and many other crafts. In this version, your work is well protected from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. At the same time, a lot of time and materials are required.
The fox and the wolf have a “natural fur coat” made of foam Of particular interest is the imitation of animal hair using raw foam. This type of texture is difficult to make from any other material. With careful execution, animals literally come to life. In this embodiment, you do not need to spend a lot of time leveling the surface.
uneven surface foam suits these characters well The manufacture of inanimate objects from polyurethane foam is less popular, with the exception of imitation mushrooms. However, as follows from the photo below, using construction foam you can make a flowerpot, garden lantern and flower pots different types.
All items are made of polyurethane foam According to this scheme, you can build any craft
Almost any craft from polyurethane foam for the yard and garden can be built according to general rules. Below is a set of basic tools. Note that regular cans with a straw or pistol foam can be used. It is much more convenient to work with a pistol. When making a complex figure or a large number of products, it is better to purchase a gun.
The material is of different quality, and cans provide different volumes of foam, which is directly related to the price of the can. The materials will also require paint, varnish and putty for outdoor use. For the manufacture of the frame, a variety of auxiliary materials are suitable: plastic bottles, wire, pieces of wood, and so on.
In the manufacture of almost any foam figure, a frame will be required. The more the shape of the frame corresponds to the type of future crafts, the better the end result will be. It is convenient to use adhesive tape to mount the frame. Separate parts of the frame can be added to the structure sequentially, as the next layer is applied. In addition to the above material, a roll of paper, fabric or foam rubber wrapped with tape can be used for the frame.
Foam craft weighs very little. To prevent the wind from knocking it down, sand can be poured into plastic bottles. To attach the figurine to the ground, you can also provide thick wires that will protrude from the legs of the animals.
Frames from different materials correspond in shape to future crafts Before starting work, be sure to read the instructions for use of the foam available on the can. It is highly recommended to purchase a foam cleaner to quickly solve "dirty" problems. Work should be carried out at a positive temperature in the open air, or in a well-ventilated area. Use gloves. When working, it is convenient to use a bedding made of polyethylene film to which the foam does not stick.
In the can, the foam is in the form of a liquid. The material hardens on contact with air. Shake the bottle before use. During operation, the can is kept cap down. If this is not done, all the gas will come out and some of the material will not be usable. The foam gains sufficient strength within one hour. Completely the material hardens approximately 10 hours.
Polyurethane foam: regular and pistol Do not attempt to apply immediately a large number of material, as the foam will fall off. It is better to apply a layer of foam on horizontal surfaces, let it harden for half an hour, and then turn the workpiece so that when applying the next layer, the foam again lies horizontally.
If possible, evenly apply foam to the frame, taking into account the shape of the future craft. For getting good result useful to read the content of the article
After the material has hardened, you can add foam to those places where it is not enough in accordance with the outlines of the craft. Excessively protruding parts should be cut off with a sharp knife that will not tear the material. Smooth surfaces can provide sandpaper wrapped around the bar.
A layer of putty for outdoor use will improve the protection of the craft from solar radiation and provide additional leveling. Now you can paint the craft.
Please note that paint can damage the surface of insufficiently cured foam!
It is recommended to use exterior paints and paint in two coats. Easy to work with acrylic paints. For additional protection the figure is varnished, preferably “yacht”. Please note that varnish will give yellowness to white paint. The finished craft can be additionally decorated with various decorative elements: buttons, glass, cord and other products of rich imagination. Pay attention to the fungus, which is made of polyurethane foam, 
Do not limit your imagination when decorating
Master class: making a curly lamb together
The foam lamb seemed to me the most suitable for the first experience with the material:
- the figurine is relatively uncomplicated, but not small in size;
- lamb curls are very similar to frozen foam;
- I can decorate my DIY with a new element and make lamb's hooves out of small brown plastic bottles.
The sequence of actions of the master class coincides with the sequence of photos:
Concluding the description, I want to add that the process of making a garden figure for a summer residence with your own hands turned out to be very exciting. I wish you the same results! Maybe the video will help you.
As a blank, I again applied plastic bottle, which I foamed on all sides, and in order to give it stability, I inserted this foamed blank into a plastic container (you can in an old pan). I fixed this propennennaya blank, - mounting foam. Then the most interesting begins, it is necessary to give an approximate figure with foam. As a sample, I buy a small toy in the store, or a figurine, additionally download pictures from the Internet.
Be sure to allow some drying after each layer. So gradually, layer by layer, a figure is created. If you missed somewhere, you can always cut it off, cut off the excess with a sharp clerical knife. If somewhere it still doesn’t work out, this applies to both large and small parts... we spray the place (from a sprayer, for example) where we want to apply foam, then we foam a small layer (about 4-5 cm), after a minute, spray fresh foam again with water. Now the moment - the main thing is not to miss the moment so that the foam does not have time to dry, and we form the intended bend, shape, etc. with wet hands (I do this without gloves). So you can act layer by layer, achieving desired shape. When the figure takes on its shape, we cut off all unnecessary bumps with a knife, the pits (airs) can be foamed again. Small air vents, there is no need to foam, then everything will be puttied with tile adhesive.
How to make paws, tail .... I take the wire, give it a bend, and also foam it layer by layer, giving it time to dry. The ears of a hare, I made from an aluminum tape 7 cm wide, which I cut across (like a Christmas tree), set a bend, and gradually foamed.
Would you like to improve your country cottage area or the territory near a private house, but tired of the consumer goods that are offered in the store? Or do you want to decorate the playground? Then think about whether to do everything yourself with the help of ... polyurethane foam.
In fact, the choice of polyurethane foam as a material for sculpture is unusual only at first glance, because given its pliability and softness, it becomes quite clear that crafts made from this material are gradually gaining popularity.
Necessary materials
What do you need to create foam sculptures and where to start?
In fact, the list of materials is short:
- plastic bottles;
- spray foam cans;
- dye;
Plastic bottles will be needed as a frame for the future figure and their volume directly depends on the size of the sculpture. The amount of foam is also calculated from the size of the planned craft. It should be noted that the volume of foam at the outlet of the cylinder is from 50 to 70 liters. Usually there is a marking on the cylinders indicating the amount of foam coming out. The choice of paint directly depends on you, it can be either oil or in spray cans or any other. It should be true to note that if it is intended to use crafts outdoors, you should choose a paint that is resistant to natural influences.
To make a sheep, you will need the following amount of materials:
- plastic bottles 4 pieces of 2 l;
- isolon (this is a special substrate for linoleum, can be purchased at any hardware store);
- 5 cylinders of polyurethane foam, 70 l each;
- adhesive tape or, in other words, adhesive tape;
- paint, varnish;
First, we make a frame from plastic bottles. It doesn't have to be perfect, just well made so it doesn't fall apart.
Then you should cut the isolon into narrow strips 2-3 cm wide
The next step is to wind the frame with isolon strips to give it more volume. We fix the strips of isolon with adhesive tape so that they do not unwind.
After the frame is wrapped with isolon, you can attach a sheep's tail made of ordinary wire.
After that, you can apply mounting foam to the frame. The foam is applied in layers. Apply each new layer only after the previous one has dried, for quick drying it can be sprayed with water. The fact is that water coming into contact with the foam starts a reaction, which accelerates the solidification of the foam.
The foam should be applied as evenly as possible so that imperfections do not have to be corrected.
After our sheep is shaped with the help of foam, and the foam finally hardens, you can proceed to the details. For starters, you can glue the ears.
Then you can correct the muzzle of the lamb with a clerical knife, and then decorate it.
It remains to paint the hooves, draw eyes, and the sculpture is ready.
It should be noted that foam is a fairly toxic material and should only be handled in well-ventilated areas. It is also quite sticky, and therefore you should stock up on acetone or a special solvent for mounting foam and patience.
In general, foam is a fertile material, and almost any figure can be made from it, for which there is enough imagination, as well as patience and time. Starting from the simplest and smallest and ending with the size of a human being.
How to make an ironing board
Any summer resident, amateur gardener wants not only to enjoy being in nature, but also to get aesthetic satisfaction from the decorated with my own hands garden and country house. Then things come into play that, it would seem, are no longer suitable for the household: empty plastic bottles, tires, broken tiles. Crafts from these materials will no longer surprise anyone, and summer residents want variety and amazing things for their summer cottages and gardens, so more and more often they appear garden sculptures from mounting foam.
Country foam crafts have long been of interest to site owners, because they perfectly transform the garden and allow you to be in the role of a sculptor.
Country turtle from polyurethane foam
And dachas can be original and unusual. You can make a turtle out of foam, while it is simple and quick to perform. For work you will need the following materials: polyurethane foam and a gun for it, old plastic mold from under the cake, electrical tape, wire, cardboard. First you need to take a mold from under the cake and fill it with sand to increase the weight of the future turtle. Then you need to take a strong wire, bend it into a domed shape (this will be the tortoise shell), and leave its ends straight (this is the blank of the legs). There should be two such blanks. The resulting wires must be wound with electrical tape to the form from under the cake and fixed along the edge with mounting foam.
After the turtle is ready, it can be painted with acrylic paints.
Now we proceed to the neck and head of the turtle: it is necessary to thread the wire into the hose and attach it to the mold with electrical tape, and then fix it with mounting foam and wait 15-20 minutes. We cut the rest of the hose into 4 parts and thread it into the parts of the wire that were intended for the legs of the turtle. Now you need to make a turtle tail. To do this, you need to cut a triangle out of cardboard and stick it to the back of the turtle, wait 20 minutes. And now the most important part of the work is shaping the frame. To do this, you need to alternately apply layers of mounting foam, allowing each of them to dry completely, otherwise the foam will begin to slide and you will not get the desired result.
Here it is ready wonderful craft— turtle! Now you can give free rein to your imagination: take paints and brushes in your hands and paint this cute animal in the color you need. As a result, you will get an exclusive little thing that can perfectly fit into the landscape of your garden and cottage and will delight not only you, but also your guests and new acquaintances.
Back to index
Miracle mushroom for the garden
A mushroom is one of the simplest polyurethane foam crafts that fits perfectly into the design of the site.
Not only magnificent animals can be made from polyurethane foam, but also other figures from the natural world. For example, you can make a mushroom for a summer residence. To do this, you will need: foam for mounting, a dome-shaped candy box, a plastic bottle with sand, facade plaster, a clerical knife, acrylic paint and acrylic primer. The first step is to foam a plastic bottle and a candy box in the shape of a leg and a hat, respectively. Carefully cut off the protruding parts of the dried foam and excess bumps with a clerical knife, without distorting the shape of the future mushroom. Plant a mushroom cap on the stem using a nail.
It turned out the preparation of the future mushroom. In order for the paint to lay down in a uniform layer in the future, it is necessary to cover the foam facade plaster after pre-priming the surface. After the plaster has dried, cover the mushroom with an acrylic primer. Mushroom is ready! You just have to color it and choose the place where it will be placed on your summer cottage.
